Writing Utensil Caddy

ABSTRACT

A writing utensil caddy includes a base member having a continuous peripheral edge. An elongate shaft extends upwardly from the base member, the shaft having a first end coupled to the upper surface of the base member and a second end opposite the first end. A handle is coupled to the second end of the shaft and extending perpendicular relative to the shaft. A plurality of primary holders are situated radially about the shaft of the handle assembly, each primary holder extend upwardly from the base member and having a tubular configuration defining an interior area and an open top allowing access to the interior area. A plurality of secondary holders is situated adjacent the peripheral edge of the base member and extend upwardly from the base member, each primary holder having a tubular configuration defining an open top allowing access to an interior area.

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of provisional patent application U.S. Ser. No. 62/182007 filed Jun. 19, 2015 titled Colored Pencil Caddy and which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to holding and organizing devices and, more particularly, to improvements in pencil caddies.

Children typically carry their pencils and crayons in a case, box, bag, or container. This results in a disorganized grouping of colors or types of writing utensils and makes it very difficult and very time consuming to repeatedly sift through the conglomerated group of pencils to decide which one to use and then to remove it from the container. The problem continues in that the pencil is then returned to the disorganized group upon completion of its use.

Various devices are known or have been proposed in the prior art for containing groups of pencils or other writing utensils. Examples include boxes or containers having a hinged lid and pencil caddies having an elongated longitudinally aligned support housing mounted to a support base. Although presumably effective for their intended uses, the existing devices still do not provide organized storage of a plurality of pencils in a manner that is easy to carry, easy to view for selecting a respective colored pencil, and easy to remove and replace a writing utensil where it can again be accessed quickly and easily the next time it is desired.

Therefore, it would be desirable to have a writing utensil caddy that overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art and accomplishes the objects of the invention discussed below.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A writing utensil caddy according to the present invention includes a base member having a continuous peripheral edge. An elongate shaft extends upwardly from the base member, the shaft having a first end coupled to the upper surface of the base member and a second end opposite the first end. A handle is coupled to the second end of the shaft and extending perpendicular relative to the shaft. A plurality of primary holders are situated radially about the shaft of the handle assembly, each primary holder extend upwardly from the base member and having a tubular configuration defining an interior area and an open top allowing access to the interior area. A plurality of secondary holders is situated adjacent the peripheral edge of the base member and extend upwardly from the base member, each primary holder having a tubular configuration defining an open top allowing access to an interior area.

Therefore, a general object of this invention is to provide a writing utensil caddy that enables an artist or student to more quickly locate and select a desired writing instrument, such as a colored pencil.

Another object of this invention is to provide a writing utensil caddy, as aforesaid, that enables a user to organize and carry a complete set of colored pencils, pens, or traditional coloring implements to a desired location.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a writing utensil caddy, as aforesaid, that is easy, convenient, and efficient to use.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, embodiments of this invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a writing utensil caddy according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2a is a top view of the writing utensil caddy as in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 2b is a side view of the writing utensil caddy as in FIG. 2 a.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A writing utensil caddy according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 2 b of the accompanying drawings. The writing utensil caddy 10 is particularly suited to hold a set of colored pencils and includes a base member 20, a plurality of secondary holders 40, a plurality of primary holders 50, and a handle assembly 30.

The base member 20 has a generally flat or planar configuration with an upper surface 22 and having a continuous peripheral edge 24. Preferably, the base member 20 is a circular platform on which the other components are situated as will be described below. In an embodiment, the base member 20 may be a rotating platform having a stationary lower portion 26 to which an upper portion 28 is rotatably coupled thereto so that the upper portion may be rotated by a user so as to access a desired writing device.

The handle assembly 30 of the writing utensil caddy 10 enables a user, such as an artist, to carry the caddy between locations or, in an embodiment, to rotate an upper portion of a rotating platform. The handle assembly 30 includes an elongate shaft 32 having a first end coupled to the upper surface 22 of the base member, the shaft 32 extending upwardly therefrom. Preferably, the shaft 32 extends upwardly from a center point of the base member 20. The shaft 32 includes a second end opposite the first end. A handle member 34 is coupled to the second end of the shaft 32 and extends outwardly away from the shaft 32 and is perpendicular to the shaft 32.

A plurality of primary holders 50 extends upwardly from the upper surface 22 of the base member 20. Each primary holder 50 has a tubular configuration and is separated from each other primary holder 50. Together, the primary holders 50 are offset radially about the shaft 32 of the handle assembly 30. Each primary holder 50 has a continuous side wall defining an open interior space and an open top 52 providing access into the interior space. The plurality of primary holders 50 are inwardly displaced from the plurality of secondary holders 40.

In an embodiment, each primary holder 50 has an upwardly extending length that is different than a length of any other of the primary holders 50. Similarly, each primary holder 50 defines an inner diameter that is different than an inner diameter of any other of the primary holders 50. In an embodiment, each primary holder 50 may include a color indicia that is different than a color indicia of any other primary holder 50. It is understood that each color indicia may be indicative of a color of colored pencils to be held in a respective primary holder 50. In an embodiment, the color indicia of the secondary holders may be respective “primary” or basic colors whereas the color indicia of the primary holders are other than primary colors.

A plurality of secondary holders 40 are coupled to the upper surface 22 of the base member 20, the secondary holders 40 being spaced apart from one another and each being adjacent the peripheral edge 24 of the base member 20. Each secondary holder 40 has a tubular configuration such as having a continuous side wall 42. A lower end of each secondary holder 40 is coupled to the upper surface 22 of the base member 20 from which the side wall extends upwardly. Each secondary holder 40 defines an open interior area and a upper peripheral edge of the side wall defines an open top 44 allowing access into the interior area. Preferably, each secondary holder 40 has a uniform length and diameter. In other words, the plurality of secondary holders 40 have an identical length and an identical inner diameter and identical geometric volume for holding writing implements such as colored pencils.

Each secondary holder 40 may include color indicia that is indicative of a corresponding color of pencil to be held therein. Each color indicia of respective secondary holders 40 may be different than the color indicia of any other secondary holder 40.

In use, a user—such as an artist or student—may transport the writing utensil caddy 10 to a desired location, such as an art studio table, desk, or even an outdoor location. A set of colored pencils or other set of writing utensils may be distributed and stored in respective holding members. Then, a desired writing utensil can be quickly withdrawn from its respective stored location, used to draw or color on a paper, and then returned quickly to its designated storage location. The writing utensil caddy enables an artist to more quickly locate a desired color pencil and to return it to its storage location when finished with it.

It is understood that while certain forms of this invention have been illustrated and described, it is not limited thereto except insofar as such limitations are included in the following claims and allowable functional equivalents thereof. 

1. A writing utensil caddy, comprising: a base member having an upper surface and a continuous peripheral edge, said base member having a generally planar configuration; a plurality of primary holders spaced apart from one another and situated radially about said shaft of said handle assembly, each primary holder extending upwardly from said upper surface of said base member and having a tubular configuration defining an interior area and an open top allowing access to said interior area; a plurality of secondary holders spaced apart from one another adjacent said peripheral edge of said base member and extending upwardly from said upper surface of said base member, each primary holder having a tubular configuration defining an open top allowing access to an interior area; an elongate shaft extending upwardly from said base member, said shaft having a first end coupled to said upper surface of said base member and a second end opposite said first end; a handle member coupled to said second end of said shaft and extending outwardly perpendicular relative to said shaft.
 2. The writing utensil caddy as in claim 1, wherein said shaft extends upwardly from a center point of said base member.
 3. The writing utensil caddy as in claim 1, wherein each primary holder has a length different than a length of any other primary holder and a diameter different than a diameter of another primary holder.
 4. The writing utensil caddy as in claim 1, wherein said shaft has a length greater than a length of each primary holder.
 5. The writing utensil caddy as in claim 1, wherein each primary holder includes a color indicia different than a color indicia of any other primary holder.
 6. The writing utensil caddy as in claim 5, wherein each color indicia is indicative of a color of a pencil stored therein.
 7. The writing utensil caddy as in claim 6, wherein said base member is a rotating platform.
 8. The writing utensil caddy as in claim 1, wherein said base member is a rotating platform.
 9. A writing utensil caddy, comprising: a base member having an upper surface and a continuous peripheral edge, said base member having a generally planar configuration; wherein said base member is a rotating platform; a plurality of primary holders spaced apart from one another and situated radially about said shaft of said handle assembly, each primary holder extending upwardly from said upper surface of said base member and having a tubular configuration defining an interior area and an open top allowing access to said interior area; wherein each primary holder includes a color indicia different than a color indicia of any other primary holder; a plurality of secondary holders spaced apart from one another adjacent said peripheral edge of said base member and extending upwardly from said upper surface of said base member, each primary holder having a tubular configuration defining an open top allowing access to an interior area; an elongate shaft extending upwardly from said base member, said shaft having a first end coupled to said upper surface of said base member and a second end opposite said first end; a handle member coupled to said second end of said shaft and extending outwardly perpendicular relative to said shaft;
 10. The writing utensil caddy as in claim 9, wherein said shaft has a length greater than a length of each primary holder. 